Steam-loop.



,311. PATENTED JAN. 15. 1907.

J. GILLBSPIE. STEAM LOOP. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18.1904.

R. GONRADER & A

mvewtofc S rus Nanms Ps1-sim oo., v/Asmmsrmv. n. c.

Unire sfrargss Parana* essieu.

RUDOLPH OONRADERAND ANDREW J. GILLESPIE, OF ERIE, PENNSYL- VANIA; SAIDGILLESPIE ASSIGNOR TO SAID OONR-ADER.

STEAM-LOOP.

Patented Jan. 15, 1907.

Application led June 18,1904. Serial No. 213.185.

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, RUDOLPH OONRADER l it simply leads to theatmosphere. In either instance the discharge takes place with each andANDREW J. GILLESPIE, citizens of the accumulation of water in the loop,so that United States, residing at Erie, in the county l this loopdevice is of practically universal apof Erie and State of Pennsylvania,have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Loops, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to steam-loops; and it consists in certainimprovements in the construction thereof, as will be hereinafter fullydescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

Steam-loops have heretofore been made for the purpose of returning tothe boiler the water produced by condensation in steampipes. It isdesirable to arrange such devices that they may discharge the waterproduced by condensation not only into the boiler, but into anyreceptacle less than boiler-pressure or in some cases to the atmosphere.It is also desirable that such devices be operative with exhaust-steamor 4steam under very low pressure, as well as operative with the highpressure. This invention is designed to accomplish these desirableresults.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein a loopis shown, the mechanism incident thereto being shown partly in sectionto better show construction.

The steam enters the steam-trap A through the pipe B and is conveyedfrom the pipe B to the pipe O through the trap A. The loop E isconnected with the bottom of the trap A and discharges into the pipe E.The pipe E is connected with a valve device F. The valve device Fcomprises the chamber f, having the diaphragm through which thevalve-opening f8 is arranged. Opposite the valve-opening# a cylinder f3is arranged, and the valve F has the piston or plunger f 4 extendingfrom it into the cylinder f3. A pipe G connects the trap A with theupper end of the cylinderfa. This pipe G conveys steam to the upper endof the cylinder, so that the cylinder f 3 and plunger f4 form acounter-pressure device, which acting on the valve F balances thepressure incident to the. steam exerted on the lower face of the valve.From this it will be seenl that the valve F is only opened through theaction of the pressure incident to the column in the loop and that it isimmaterial whether the dischargepipe is connected with the boiler withpressure as high as the steam-pressure or whether plication.

We prefer to provide the small cylindrical projection]05 for the valve,so that very little bevel may be requir ed and the under surface i ofthe valve subjected to pressure. We also prefer to provide the spring f6 with the adjustable tension-screw f7. By this means the pressure onthe valve may be increased or diminished, thus increasing or diminishingthe necessary column of water in the loop to operate the valve.

le also prefer to provide means by which the valve may be positivelyopened, so as to ascertain that it is in working order and also to allowthe air to pass out of thetop. We provide the stemf. This preferably hasthe valve fg for closing the opening through which the steam passes. Thestem is pivoted on the leverf 1, and the lever]p10 is pivoted on'thearmf 11. It will readily be seen that by operating the lever flo thestem f8 may be pushed upward against the valve F, thus opening it. Vealso prefer to provide the connection G with the valve g, by means ofwhich it may be shut off, so that the loop may be blown off at the side.

W' here the device is used on exhausts for steam or steam under veryslight pressure, the fact that the valve F is balanced prevents aninflow ofr air. The valve under the influence of the spring closes assoon as the col-` umn reaches the minimum position, which of coursewould be sufficient to overcome airpressure, or at least the differencebetween the air-pressure and the partial vacuumA formed in the loop.

What we claim as new isl. The combination with a steam-loop of adischarge-valve and closed against pressure from the discharge end; andmeans for balancing the steam-pressure on said valve by subjecting bothsides of the valve to said steam-pressure.

2. The combination with a steam-loop, a

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disch arge-v alve opening in the direction of movement of the iiuidthrough it, and having the face thereof subjected to' theliquid-pressure in the loop, means for balancing the steam-pressure onthe valve.

3. The combination with a steam connec-- tion, and a steam-loopextending therefrom, of a discharge-v alve for the loop balanced whenclosed against pressure from the discharge end, a counter-pressuredevice tending to maintain said valve in a closed. position.,connections between said counter-pressure device and the steamconnection.

f1. The combination with a steam connection, and a steam-loop extendingtherefrom., of a discharge-valve for the loop balanced when closedagainst pressure from the discharge end, a counter-pressure devicetending to maintain said valve in a closed position, a steam-passagebetween the counterpressure device and the steam connection.

5. The combination with. a steam connection; a steam-loop extendingtherefrom.; of a discharge-valve for the loop, said valve opening in thedirection of the movement of fluid through it, the face of the valvebeing subjected .to the liquid-pressure of the loop; and acounter-pressure device having substantially the area of the closedspace of the valve; and a connection between the counter-pressure deviceand the steam connection.

6. The combination with a steam connection and steam-loop extendingtherefrom; of a discharge-valve balanced when closed against pressurefrom the discharge end; a cylinder opposite said valve; a plunger in said cylinder and arranged to operate against said valve; and a connectionbetween said cylinder and said steam connection.

7. The combination with a steam connection and steam-loop extendingtherefrom, of a discharge-valve opening in the direction of the movementof iiuid through. it, and having its face subjected to pressure from theliquid in the loop, a cylinder opposite said valve, a plunger in saidcylinder and arranged to opcrate against said valve, and a connectionbetween said cylinder and said steam connection. j

8. In combination with a steam connection and a steam-loop extendingtherefrom, of a discharge-valve balanced when closed against pressurefrom the discharge end, said valve opening in the direction of movementof fluid through it, and having its face subjected to the pressure ofthe liquid in the loop, and means for balancing the steampressure onsaid valve.

9. The combination with a steam connection; a steam-loop extendingtherefrom; of a discharge-valve for the loop opening in the direction ofthe movement of the iiuid through it, and having its face subjected tothe pressure of the liquid in the loop; and a counter-pressure devicehaving substantially the area of the closed space of the valve; aconnection between the counter-pressure device and the steam connection;and means for adjustably adding pressure vto close the valve.

10. The combination with a steam connection; a steam-loop extendingtherefrom; of a discharge-valve for the loop opening in the direction ofthe movement of the fluid through it, and having its face subjected tothe pressure of the liquid. in the loop; and a counter-pressure devicehaving substantially the area of the closed space of the valve; aconnection between the counterpressure device and the steam connection;and means for adjustably varying the pressure exerted by the pressuredevice to control the necessary column in the loop to effect thedischarge.

11. The combination with a steam connection; a steam-loop extendingtherefrom; of a discharge-valve for the loop opening in the direction ofthe movement of the fluid through it, and having its face subjected tothe pressure of the liquid in the loop; and a counter-pressure devicehaving substantially the area of the closed space of the valve; aconnection between the counterpressure device and the steam connection;and a spring arranged to operate against the valve to maintain the valvein a closed position until a given height of column in the loop isreached.

12. The combination with a steam connection, a water-column chamberextending therefrom, a discharge-valve for said chamber, a springtending to close said valve, said spring being opposed to the weight ofthe column of liquid in the chamber, and means for balancing thesteam-pressure. on the mechanism.

13. The combination with a steam connection; a steam-loop extendingtherefrom;

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of a discharge-valve for the loop; and a j counter-pressure devicehaving substantially the area of the closed space of the valve; aconnection between the counter-pressure device and the steam connection;and a spring arranged to operate against the valve to maintain the valvein a' closed position until a given height of column in .the loop isreached; and means for varying the force of the spring.

14. The combination with a steam connection and steam-loop extendingtherefrom; of a discharge-valve; a cylinder opposite said valve; aplunger in said cylinder and arranged to operate against said valve; aconnection between said cylinder and said steam connection; and meansfor manually actuating the valve to open it.

j 15. The combination with a steam connection; a steam-loop extendingtherefrom; of a discharge-valve for the loop; and a counter-pressuredevice having substantially the area of the closed space of the valve; a

connection between the counter-pressure device and the steam connection;and a valve in said connection between the pressure del vice and steamconnection.

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16. The combination With esteem-loop E; l in said connection; and thestern f8 for a steam connection A with which said loop manually opening`the valve F/. s connected; e discharge-valve device F In testimonywhereof We have hereunto connected with the loop comprising the dief setour hands in the presence of two subscrib- 5 phragnl j having the Valveopening,` f2 ing Witnesses.

therein, the valve F operating' upon said RUDOLPH CONRADER. opening andconnected with the plunger f4, ANDREW J. GILLESPIE. and the cylinder 7"3n which the plunger op- /Vtnesses:

erates; the connection G Connecting the oon- C. D. HIGBY,

Io neoton A with the oylnderf; the valve g H. C. LORD.

